


On Earth

by wibblywobblymess



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, dick friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-27
Updated: 2015-09-27
Packaged: 2018-04-23 13:48:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4879216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wibblywobblymess/pseuds/wibblywobblymess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on <a href="http://darlingcap.tumblr.com/post/32163240391/au-when-loki-let-go-of-the-staff-he-fell-onto">This</a> post on Tumblr. </p><p>Set after Thor, what could have happened after Loki fell from the bridge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Pleasant screams rang out through the trees, as the girls ducked and darted in and out of the brush, hearing the boys’ footsteps not far behind. They were howling, and whistling, trying to catch the girls enough to make them stop, just long enough to find them._

_“Shit!” sounded one of the girls’ voices, followed by a triumphant cry._

_“Got her!”_

_“One down! Two to go!”_

_“You’ll never get the rest of us!” cried another girl, before she squealed._

_“Got you!”_

_After a minute, only one girl was left, panting and grimacing as her body dropped, and she scurried beneath the brush. She curled up, trying to catch her breath, only to freeze when she realized there were no footsteps near her. Frowning, she shifted to her knees, and listened intently, only to hear their voices a few feet away._

_“Got ‘em all! Four for four! Time to get drunk!” A scowl replaced the frown, and she pushed her body up a little see her four friends walking away, each paired with their date._

_“Seriously?” she hollered, shoving herself to her feet. “Come on, guys!”_

_“Who is that?”_

_“Mia?” one of the girls asked, turning to see the one standing in the brush._

_“…You forgot I was here, didn’t you?” Mia asked, clearly offended, as she stepped back and shoved the debris from her clothes._

_“Of course not! But we thought you were in the car?” another girl asked, frowning._

_“Oh, come on,” Mia sighed, and ran her hand down her face. “Go on. I’ll walk,” she said, waving at them as she turned to walk off._

_“Oh, Mia, come **on** ,” one of the boys hollered, as she shook her head, and made her way through the trees._

_Running her fingers through her hair, and ignoring their calls after her, Mia moved through the trees until she reached the clearing, the beach, and the lake. She was, admittedly, angry. They were her best friends, how could they just forget her? As soon as that question formed, she knew the answer. It was their dates – the two girls, and the two guys. They never liked her; they just thought she was a “fifth wheel”, the odd man out. It hurt her feelings, but she didn’t get upset – she got angry. After all, Mia grew up with Tristan, Carter, Leigh, and Sarah – they were her best friends, she didn’t deserve to be ignored for a date._

_Halfway down the beach, her hands jammed deep into her pockets, and her eyes focused on her feet, she stumbled to a stop, and raised her eyes at the sound. What was it? It sounded like a dying whale, and she frowned, lifting her head to look around._

_“Hello?” she called out, her problems forgotten as she realized how nervous she was. She was out of her mind, walking, alone, unarmed, down the beach, just after sunset. Aside from the people who just left her, there was no one around for miles._

_Except the person, twenty feet away, lying in the sand. The person emitting the sound that had caught her attention._

_Her breath held in her throat, and she forced her feet to carry her forward, before dropping to her knees beside him._

_“Oh my god, are you alright?” she asked, concern filling her face as he lay still, simply groaning. Mia almost didn’t notice what he was wearing – mostly leather, with a green cape poking out from beneath him. He didn’t look like a normal beachgoer, but Mia’s attention was focused on his face, her fingers falling to his neck to check for a pulse. It was there, beneath her fingers, which made her breathe out a sigh of relief. “Sir?”_

_“Ooooooh…” he finally said, opening his mouth and struggling to breathe._

_“Come, open your eyes, what happened?” she asked, her voice gentle, as she fumbled her phone from her pocket._

_“That…hurt…” he groaned, his head rolling to see her._

_“Are you alright?”_

_“Where am I?”_

_“…Lake Mohave…” Shoving his hands into the sand, and grimacing as he sat up._

_“Where?”_

_“…It’s a Lake…in Nevada?”_

_“Where in Helheim is that?” Mia was clearly baffled – what the hell was Helheim, and how the hell did he not know where Nevada was?_

_“It’s…a Southwestern state…in the United States…in North America…on Earth.”_

_“Earth?” He frowned, and looked at her as he furrowed his brow. “I’ve landed on Midgard?”_

_“Midgard?” She wasn’t concerned for his well-being, as much as she had been, now that it was clear he was, relatively, alright. “Who the hell are you?”_

_“I am Loki…of Asgard…”_

                Mia pulled her knees up to her chest, listening as the shower down the hall shut off. That was her cue, as she climbed to her feet, and ducked into the kitchen, flipping the water on as the bathroom door opened.

“Mia?”

“Yeah?”

“Towels?” Mia lifted her head, a goofy smile forming on her lips, as she blushed a furious red.

“…they are…all dirty…I am so sorry, I completely forgot – do you want me to grab you a pair of pants?”

“Please!”

                Giggling profusely, Mia left the water running, and scooted down the hall, plucking a pair of boxers from the top of her dresser. It was like she was bewitched around him, she forgot  _everything_  at some point or another.

“Here you go!” The door cracked, and his hand reached out, taking the shorts. After a second, the door opened the rest of the way, and he looked at her with a raised brow.

“How do I look?” Her stomach twisted sharply, her heart skipped a beat, and she felt her face darken a little more.

“You look…great…you look Human.” Loki smiled at her, and shrugged, looking down.

“I owe you much…for taking me in.”

“You have given me enough to pay me for the next twenty years,” she replied, before she realized it, and giggled softly. “Uh…are you hungry? I can either make something, or order something in.” He raised a brow, and she reached for his arm to lead him into the kitchen. “A restaurant cooks it for us, and brings it here, and we pay them for it. Makes things easier on me.”

“Order in, it is,” he said, making her grin.

“Good…”

                After she found him that night, on the beach, she knew he was going to make a drastic impact on her life. She just hadn’t expected she was going to fall for him. But here she stood, forcing the color to drain some from her face, as she washed up the dishes in the sink. It took everything she had to think about anything but the sopping wet god a few feet from her, and how much she wanted to trail her fingers down his chest. He made her entire body hot, and her head fuzzy, and she always smirked when her friends came by. They were jealous. They were  _positively jealous_  that Loki was living with her, not them, even though they were all friends, now.

                “Mia?” She blinked, and turned her head a little.

“Yeah?”

“Are the others coming by tonight?” he asked, eyebrow raised.

“Um…no…we’re meeting them tomorrow night, though, out by the lake. There’s a meteor shower then.”

“Really?”

“Yeah – anytime we hear of one, we go lay on the hill by the beach, and watch the sky. It’s…really nice.”

                Loki watched her as she stood, her body tense, as she washed the dishes. How could something so common, so simple, seem so beautiful? She was nothing like the women he’d known on Asgard – they were strong, and independent, but always bowed their head to the King, and the Princes, even if only at first. But not Mia. Mia looked him in the eye every time they spoke, and she was very soft-spoken. It was as if she were always afraid she would mess something up, and he found that…endearing.

                He had only been on Midgard…Earth…for a month. How could he have acclimated so much? How could he feel  _so much_  for them already?


	2. Chapter 2

                 _Anger coursed through his body, his hands, as he stared up at the sky. All he wanted was to prove he was worthy, like his so called brother, and instead, he was now on Midgard, with a bunch of peasants. He had every intention to hate this, to be angry._

_But Mia had a genuine concern in her face as he lowered his head to see her. She was still standing a few feet from him, her hands at her sides, trying to figure out what happened. A god? Midgard? **Loki**? She was so certain he had to be an escaped lunatic, but he was so sure of what he said, and she was unable to shake the small voice in her head, telling her he wasn’t lying._

_Shifting her stance, she tucked her hair behind her ear, and looked around. There were no boats. There were no cars. And the place he’d been prior was a dent in the sand. He had to have fallen from a serious height to make that indentation, and yet he was standing, staring, moving, as though he hadn’t._

_“Are you sure you’re alright?”_

_“No, I’m not alright, I’m **furious**. What does it matter to you?”_

_“I only asked! I don’t know where you came from, and you sounded like **dying whale** , I was concerned!” He scoffed, making her frown at him._

_“Concerned? That’s the problem with you people, you’re too soft. We could take this entire planet by playing the right cards – you would never know what happened.”_

_“Who is this ‘we’? You’re alone here!” she exclaimed, her eyes going wide as a hand grabbed her throat, spinning her around. Loki wasn’t a few feet away, he was behind her, and she saw the small flash in the corner of her eye as the Loki she’d been facing vanished._

_“Don’t raise your voice to me, you puny Midgardian,” he growled, glaring at her. He was so angry, his hand cut her air off, and he watched her eyes go wide, her hands clawing at his. But the look on her face, in her eyes, made him release her, and let her fall into the sand. It was terror, and fear, and sorrow, and somehow, he hadn’t quite expected it._

                Sitting upright, Mia clasped her hands around her neck, and released a long, shaken breath. That first time she saw Loki, when he was so violent he could have killed her, was still so vivid in her head. Closing her eyes, she could still see the anger in his face, and it brought a chill to her body as she climbed off her bed, and made her way into the dark hallway. The TV still played in the living room, and she forced a small smile to her lips as she peered over the back of the couch. Loki was splayed out on his back, one arm over his face, the other dangling off the side of the couch, his left knee bent and leaning on the back cushion as he right leg was resting on the floor. He was adorable, and fast asleep, with Casablanca playing on the screen.

                Shaking her head, she moved into the kitchen, pulling a bottle of water out of the fridge, before returning to the living room. With a sigh, she lowered her body to the chair near his head, and watched him. The first time he fell asleep on her couch, a few days after he arrived, she had sat on the table, and watched him sleep. She felt awkward, of course, watching this strange man sleeping. But he was so peaceful, and within seconds, he thrashed, and woke himself up. Nightmares, he said, but refused to talk about them.

                Now she just sat, to make sure he slept through the night. If he hadn’t woken by now, she knew he wouldn’t wake at all, and, smiling slightly, she stood up, and reached out for the remote. No need to keep Casablanca playing, if they were both asleep, right?

                As soon as she hit the  _Power_ button, Loki groaned, and she peered over, watching him roll onto his side. The boxers she had given him were beginning to slide down his hips, the water long dry, and it made her blush as her fingers pulled the blanket over him. No need to fantasize about him, right? After all, as a god, he was  _so far_ out of her league, it wasn’t even funny. But still, she smiled down at his sleeping face, framed and partially covered by his dark hair, and couldn’t help the flutter in her stomach.

                With a forceful shake of her head, Mia moved around the couch, and back down the hallway, having completely forgotten about the water she had gotten up for. Instead, as she climbed beneath the blankets, all she could think about was Loki. And it made her body tingle in the darkness.

“Damnit, brain, shut up,” she huffed, moving her pillow to pin against her face.

“Something wrong?” That voice was unexpected, and she forced her body upright, peering in surprise across the room to see Loki leaning against her doorframe.

“Don’t  _do_  that, you were just sleeping on the couch,” Mia groaned, flopping back on the bed with her heart racing in her chest. He chuckled, making her blush, as he flipped the light switch by the door.

“Sorry, Mia…are you alright?”

“Dreamt you choked me again,” she honestly answered, dropping her pillow on her face again. A laugh sounded, and he climbed up, taking a seat at the end of her bed.

“Should I apologize for having a lasting impression?” With a thrust of her foot, she struck his hip, making him slap her leg, and hold her in place. “Then I suppose I’m sorry?”

“No you aren’t…besides, I’m not holding it against you – you were _so angry_  to be here,” she admitted, and he nodded, putting his hands back in his lap.

“Because I was certain I’d be alone. Are you alright with me being here?”

“Are you joking?” she asked, pushing the pillow away so she could see him. “Having someone in my house that I can talk to, who doesn’t judge me? It’s  _awesome_  having you here. Like…a gift that keeps on giving,” she laughed, before scooting a little bit in the bed. “But for tonight, Loki…I’m exhausted. Do you want to stay? Um…for the night?” she asked, surprising herself as the question fell from her lips. His eyes went up, and he met her nervous gaze, before he smiled, and moved his hand to force the light off.

“Love to.”

                Shifting around, Loki slipped his body beneath her blanket, and nudged her head up with his hand. She knew she was burning a deep shade of red as her heart thumped, and her breaking shook, but she ignored it, as he placed a hand on her back, and slid her body against his, his arm draped around her shoulders. It was hard for her to imagine that this gentle god in her bed was the same one who was so determined to kill her only a few weeks prior. But after he realized she wasn’t going to hurt him, and, instead, was going to help him adjust, he lightened up a lot.

                And he was so thankful to her.

                And she was grateful to have him around.

                It was nice to be remembered again.


	3. Chapter 3

                The next night came quickly, and Mia was darting in and out the front door when Loki shuffled down the hall from the bedroom.

“Mia?”

“Are you ready to go?”

“Go where?”

                She stopped, just outside the door, and leaned back in to stare at him blankly. Neither said a word, as the confusion appeared on his face, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Meteor Shower. Go get dressed, we have to meet the others on the hill in twenty minutes,” she ushered, nodding towards the bedroom as she tossed the blanket in her hands into the trunk, and pushed it closed.

                Sheepishly, he turned, and bounded back to the room she’d given him, digging his clothes out of the dresser.

A month. He’d been on Earth a month, and he was already comfortable with their clothes, and many of their customs. The clothes he’d worn when he’d fallen were sealed in the closet, out of sight, so they weren’t damaged. Hell, at this point, Loki was certain he didn’t need Asgard, or anyone back home, to be happy. Being on Earth with Mia and the others, that was making him happy now.

With a smile, he tugged on a pair of jeans, and poked his head out of the room, looking around.

“Is it cold out?”

“A little…I’m wearing long sleeves, but it’s ultimately your call – I have blankets, too,” she called back, and, with a shrug, he tugged on a long sleeve button up, rolling the sleeves up to his elbows as he made his way to the living room, where his shoes were.

“How do I look?” He asked that every day, and every day, she had to restrain herself from telling him he was gorgeous, as always. Blushing, she eyed him, and nodded.

“Good. You ready, then?”

“Sure thing,” he replied, and, hooking an arm around her shoulders, the pair walked out, her keys gripped tightly in her hand. The way he acted, the way he put his arm around her, he had to have known the effect he had on her, right? It drove her nuts, in a good way, to have him so near her, and every time, without fail, her breathing would become staggered and labored.

                Parking the car at the bottom of the hill, Mia peered through the windshield, and frowned. From where they sat, with the lights off and the car silent, she could see her four friends already stretched out on the hillside, sharing drinks and laughs.

“Was it stupid, for me to want to do this?”

“Why?” Loki asked, unbuckling his seatbelt.

“They don’t seem to notice I’m not up there…or if they do, they don’t care.” Loki sighed, and reached out, patting her arm.

“You are too hard on yourself.”

“Sorry…shall we?” she asked, biting back her urge to take him and go, and, instead, popping the trunk and climbing from the car.

                He helped her carry their blankets and their cooler up the hill, splaying out the blanket before laying out on it. Mia stretched out, between Loki – who lay on the end – and Leigh.  With the way her friends looked at him, she knew it would be safer, smarter, to be between them. Leigh and Sarah had both admitted to Mia, at least once, they would kill for a chance to hook up with Loki, and all she could do was roll her eyes – there wasn’t enough strength in Mia to tell her friends to shut up. As angry as they made her, she still felt that she needed them.

                The six of them stretched out, looking up at the sparkling dots in the sky, pointing out the various constellations to each other.

“Orion’s belt,” Mia said, waiting for Loki to line his head up with her arm and see the stars she pointed to. “The Big Dipper is over here,” she added, moving her arm slightly. It sent chills down her arm, feeling his breath on her skin, and she couldn’t help but blush. It was a nice feeling.  After a little while, Leigh lifted her head to peer over at Loki, and cleared her throat, interrupting the tutorial.

“Loki?”

“Hm?” he replied, shifting to see her, and moving his head from Mia’s arm.

“What do you see, when you look at the stars? Like…what planets, or whatever?” Mia rolled her eyes, but tilted her head to see Loki, who had both hands behind his head, lift one hand and point up at the sky.

“Well…let’s see…There’s Alfheimr, Vanaheimr, Jotunheim, and Asgard…and that’s where I’m from.” Mia smiled, and turned her head, leaning it against his arm to follow the path of his hand to the sky. “Asgard is glorious,” he admitted, a smile forming on his lips that Mia had not yet seen. He seemed nostalgic, and the smile hinted at sadness, interrupted and then deepened by Leigh’s voice.

“So…why did you leave?” It took everything for Mia not to elbow her friend, before she rolled her head back, looking up at the stars overhead.

“…Well…there was…um…an explosion…” Loki was a bit uncomfortable, shifting as he said it. He had spent the past couple of weeks trying to forget, and trying to just enjoy where he was. After all, with the destruction of the bridge, he wasn’t getting back anytime soon, right? He could miss Thor, and everyone else, as much as he wanted – he wasn’t getting back any faster. “Okay, let’s not talk about me…tell me more about Midgard.”

                It was endearing, hearing him refer to them as Midgardians, not Earthlings. His little quirks, the things he did differently, made Mia smile, and made the others giggle softly. But that night, as she shifted her head to see him, she knew he wasn’t trying to being sweet. He was sad, and trying to change the subject was his attempt to make it disappear. Rolling his head to see her, he forced a small smile, and scanned Mia’s face as she looked back up at the sky.

“Well…” She considered what to tell him, before a smile appeared on her lips, and she shrugged. “If you have a wish, wish upon the stars…that’s what we do here,” Mia said softly, her mind already telling her what her wish was. Lifting his head to face the sky again, he nodded, and took a breath of the cool night air.

“Okay…” He formed the thought in his mind as he exhaled slowly, and closed his eyes as it sounded silently.  _I wish…I could see your face again…_  For the first time since Mia took him in, he was admitting to himself how much he really did miss home. Earth was good, and Mia was wonderful. But Asgard was home. And Thor was family.

                And Loki was, somehow, lonely, despite the friend that lay beside him in the grass.


	4. Chapter 4

                The meteor shower seemed to take forever to start, as conversation dwindled after Mia explained that, on Earth, they wished upon stars. Loki knew it was silly – as if wishing upon something so far away would ever happen. But it was so harmless, and it did, actually, make him feel a little better.

                As the lights streaked across the sky, Mia felt the breeze chill her, and she shivered slightly, scooting towards Loki. His attention had been so focused on the sky, that, briefly, he had forgotten the others were there.

“Are you alright?”  he asked, his voice low, as she rolled her head to see him.

“Cold…” she began, shifting slightly. She had intended simply to ask him to pull their second blanket across for her, but before she could, he moved a hand from behind his head, and curled it around her shoulders, guiding her body against his for warmth. Breath catching, Mia had to hide her grin as she curled up against him, and instead, smirked when she felt the glares of her friends on her back.

                They barely said two words to her the rest of the night, although they did continue, every so often, to talk to Loki. But when the shower was finished, and the sun was beginning to color the horizon, the group reluctantly stood, and gathered their things, leaving Mia and Loki folding their blankets several steps behind.

“I need to find new friends…” Mia sighed, shaking her head. “The only reason they still hang out with me is because of you,” she admitted, making Loki pause and look up at her.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, please…Leigh gave me such a dirty look when you put your arm around me. She and Sarah want to bone you,” Mia grumbled, not considering he wouldn’t know what the hell she was talking about. When he didn’t answer, she looked up, and blushed. “Sorry…they want to have sex with you. One of these days, I’ll have to try to walk you through all of those phrases.”

“Are there a lot?”

“Oh, god,” Mia groaned, running a hand over her face as she started to laugh. “It’s almost endless – anything can be sexual on this planet,” she said, shaking her head as she lifted the cooler. “Ridiculous, but true…I prefer to stick with the simple phrases…Wanting to bone someone, nail someone, fuck someone, ram them, screw them…it’s all sex.” Loki stared at her, baffled, as she opened the back of the car, and set the cooler inside, turning to see him before he carefully dropped in the blankets.

“Midgardians are…really sexual, aren’t they?”

“Too sexual…at least if you ask me.”

                It was an odd drive back home, with Mia spouting of a bevy of sex phrases, which led into a very awkward silence for the final ten minutes of the drive. She couldn’t believe all the ways she knew of to refer to sex, even off-the-wall ones, but it was nothing to the fact that she  _told_  them all to Loki.

                Her lips were pursed as she carried things back into the house, and put them away, nudging her shoes off and into the closet.

“Are you alright?” Loki asked, closing the front door and twisting the lock in his fingers.

“Yeah…cold and tired…thank you, for coming out tonight. I fear I may not have had such a nice time otherwise,” she admitted, turning around to see him. His long, slender fingers were working at the buttons on his shirt, popping each through its slit before he unwound his sleeves, and tugged the shirt off.

“It was fun. Nice to see what other people call the stars,” he smiled over, moving passed her down the hall. Her eyes were focused on his body, and she had barely heard what he said, but as he disappeared into his room, she blinked, and blushed.

“Uh…yeah…you know…I never knew, uh…about…” God she was so stupid right now, unable to think of the words. “I’m sorry…I completely forgot where I was going with that.” A lie. Maybe that would work as an excuse to sound so ridiculous. A soft chortle came from down the hall, and after a minute, as she clicked off the lights and started for her own room, he stepped out in just his boxers, a smirk on his lips.

“Going to bed?” Damn it.

“Uh…yeah…” she stuttered, blinking roughly as she turned and ducked into her room.

Loki watched her, brow raised, before glancing down at himself, and smirking. He figured it out, the one thing that constantly made her shift. It wasn’t the things he said – it was him, the way he looked. And with a grin, he moved down the hall, nudging her door open as she cried out and thrust her hand against the back side of it.

“Loki, what are you doing? I’m trying to change in here!” she exclaimed, thankful she had managed to put her shorts on, and hadn’t yet taken off her bra.

“I know – but I thought I’d tell you goodnight. That way you don’t lie down before I do.” She peered around the door at him, and forced a small smile, hiding her groan at the sight of him.

“Goodnight, Loki.”

“Goodnight, Mia,” he smiled, as she nudged the door closed, and pushed him into the hallway.

                Her chest heaving, Mia closed her eyes, and shook her head. How could he have such an effect on her? She couldn’t figure it out, but she didn’t know if she really wanted to. Instead, she flipped off the light, and swapped her bra for a t-shirt, climbing beneath her comforter as she stared at the ceiling.

                Damn it.

                Why did he have to be so fucking attractive? It drove her nuts, being too afraid to make a move. He was right across the hall, and she couldn’t do anything about the way she felt.

                Instead, with a groan, she thrust her head beneath her pillow, and curled up away from the door, not even noticing when it opened, and Loki peered in at her. The smirk on his face was wicked and stunning, and even without sharing, they were thinking of the same event. He had been in such a great mood prior to that first shower, despite that he had wanted to be angry, that as she helped him up, he pulled her in and splashed her with the pooling water on the curtain.

                They’d had a fun time, even though she was gasping out and laughing through her cries for him to let her go.  _You need to put on some pants_! she had hollered, making him laugh and nearly follow her, naked, out of the bathroom. She was a little quicker, though, and managed to get to the pants by the door before he could tackle her.

                If he had, she knew she wouldn’t have been able to hold out. That tall, lean, well-built god, water dripping off every inch of his near flawless skin, a smile on his lips and his sopping hair hanging around his face to frame his gorgeous eyes?

                Nothing else would have stopped her from taking him unless he had.


	5. Chapter 5

It was such a soft light filling her room that, from beneath the pillow and facing away from the door, Mia had no idea the door was open. Not that she really cared – she had every intention of just forcing her body to deal with the way it felt, and go to sleep. It wouldn’t have been any different than most other nights.

                With her eyes closed, her mind took completely control, filling her head with the memories of the past month, the ones she still blushed thinking about.

                Like when she left Loki to shower, only to have to come in after hearing a loud crash. He wasn’t completely helpless, he knew what he was doing. But the idea of doing it in a ‘Midgardian hovel’, as he originally called it, was what he wasn’t familiar with. Mia ended up walking into the bathroom to see Loki, sprawled out in the tub, the torn down curtain between his legs. He was still sopping wet, and wasn’t exactly sure – maybe he was too embarrassed to admit – how he wound up on the ground. She giggled, and tried to ignore the fact that his…asset…was staring her right in the face.

                How she kept herself from staring, she’d never really know.

                But she did it.

                And now, laying in her bed, she wished she hadn’t even opened the door.

                It was just another mark in the list of reasons why that god was  _perfect_.

                Loki watched her from the doorway, head  tilted, as she moved beneath the blanket, repeatedly wrapping it beneath her chest and then shoving it off her. He could see she was having trouble getting comfortable, and she was still cold – her body was trembling very lightly beneath the comforter. Frowning, and nudging the door closed a little, he stepped to the bed, pulled the comforter back, and slid behind her, hooking his arms around her waist.

“What the fuck!?” she cried, flopping and spinning on the mattress. Wide-eyed, Loki stared at her, before flashing a toothy grin, and shrugging.

“You looked cold.”

“Oh, my, god, you just got really creepy, what are you doing?” she snorted, shaking her head as she wriggled against his arms.

“I told you – you looked cold, so I thought I’d help warm you up.” Her entire face burned instantly, and she shifted, wishing she’d put on sweats, a long sleeved shirt – anything that covered her more than her shorts and t-shirt.

“Were you just watching me lay here?”

“I came in to see if you needed anything before I went to bed,” he lied, smirking as she blinked up at him through the faint light.

“I see…well…no, I’m alright. And once I get comfortable, I’ll get warm – you…you don’t have to stay.” Rolling his eyes, Loki moved his arm beneath her head, and pulled her close to his bare chest.

“I want to. Come on…let’s sleep.” She was so desperate, to tell him she didn’t want sleep, she wanted him, but her courage had left her a long time before, and she couldn’t do it. Instead, with a nod, she nestled her head against his chest, pursing her lips as the contact before they did, eventually, drift off.

                When Mia woke the next morning, despite groping her hand against the mattress in her search for her personal warmer named Loki, she came up empty handed, and finally cracked a lid, peering around. She was alone in her bed, and her clock, facing her on the night table, read 2:34P. Sighing, and pushing herself up, she dragged her fingers through her messy hair, and crawled out of the bed. She was glad they only went to watch the late showers on the weekend – she couldn’t sleep this long during the week, no matter how much she wanted to.

                A laugh came from the living room, and, eyebrow raised, she moved towards the hall, peering out to the back of the couch at the end.

“Loki?”

“Morning!” She slid her feet against the cold floor, but skidded to a halt right outside the living room, when she saw Loki seated in the middle of the couch, Leigh curled up against his side.

“Morning,  _Mia_ ,” Leigh purred, a pompous smirk on her face. Feeling her face burn, but not from embarrassment, Mia motioned, and frowned.

“What is she doing here?”

“I invited her for lunch – you were still sleeping.”

“You could have woken me up…I wouldn’t have been upset.”

“Eh…we had  _so much_  we wanted to talk about,” Leigh informed her, patting her hand a little too familiarly upon his chest. Mia felt her heart drop as Loki leaned his head on hers, and turned his attention back to the TV. So much to talk about? That was Leigh code, for “He wants me too.” And closing her eyes, she walked back out of the room, shaking her head.

“Leigh…get out of my house.”

“Loki invited me.”

“It’s not his house, it’s mine, and I would prefer it if you left. Right now. Before I do something stupid.”

“Like what?” Leigh teased, knowing Mia wasn’t a forceful person.

“…anything,” she whimpered, peering out the window to see Leigh’s car in the driveway. “Like…break your window.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Do you really want to test me?”

                Loki was stunned, hearing the tone of Mia’s voice, as Leigh scrambled from the couch, hissed a few curses at Mia, and stalked out of the house. There was a soft sigh from the kitchen, followed by a few sniffles, as Mia stepped out, unable to look towards Loki.

“Are you alright?”

“…I’m fine…what does it matter if I’m alright?” she questioned, shaking her head on her way back down the hall. Loki hopped to his feet, and followed her, stopping short as she slammed her bedroom door.

“Mia, what’s going on?”

“It clearly doesn’t matter! Leave me alone!” she replied, biting back the tears as she shoved her finger into the lock on the doorknob.


	6. Chapter 6

                She had to have known that it wouldn’t keep him away, a simple lock like that. But she did it anyways, and covered her face with her hands as she moved towards her bed, not sure what to do. Why did she think that, because he was so sweet, and so nice, that he wouldn’t act upon hearing that Leigh wanted him? Guys were always nice to her – but not because they cared about her. They just wanted a chance with her friends. Mia had just hoped, since it was Loki, since he wasn’t a regular guy, that it wouldn’t be the same.  

                Behind her, the lock popped, and she spun on her heels as the knob twisted, and the door opened, Loki standing on the other side with a frown.

“I can’t read your mind, Mia, what’s bothering you?”

“You,” she spat, grimacing as she did.

“Me?! What did I do?” he exclaimed, his eyes wide with confusion.

“ _Her!_  I just told you last night that they only keep me around because of you, and I wake up to find her, practically in your lap, on my couch? What part of your brain thought that would alright with me?”

“Well, honestly, I didn’t consider how you’d feel.” The words passed his lips, and instantly he knew they weren’t the right words – her face crumbled as she turned away, and covered her mouth with her hands. A soft groan passed his lips, and he moved towards her, unable to shake the feelings he had when he found out what he was, that his family had lied to him. “Mia, I didn’t mean that.”

“Leave me alone, Loki,” she breathed, struggling to avoid crying.

“Mia.” Huffing out a breath, trying to avoid crying, she turned on her heels, and shoved passed him, making her way down the hall.

“If you won’t leave me alone, I’m going to leave for a while,” Mia answered, grabbing her shoes, her keys, and her jacket.

“Mia, stop, come back here.”

“I can’t look at you right now, Loki…” she whimpered, fumbling with her shoes as she moved towards the door.

Her fingers gripped the cool metal knob, and she cranked it up, giving it a sharp yank. It cracked against the frame, every time she yanked. Even as she turned the knob the other way, yanked the door repeatedly against the frame, it wasn’t budging, and with a thunk of her head against the wood, she gave in to the realization that he wasn’t letting her leave.

“I didn’t mean it the way that it sounded,” his voice murmured, only a few steps from her. “I didn’t realize that you would get so upset, I truly didn’t.” As his hand touched her back, she released her hold on her jacket, her keys, and her shoes. They dropped to the floor, and she shook her head roughly, backing up and moving towards the hallway.

“Loki, please…just stop. I’ll get over it – I always get over it. It’s why they still let me tag along – because I give up feeling bad, or being mad, or upset, and I just pretend it didn’t happen. I really…I really need to grow a backbone, but until that happens, I just want to be alone to suppress the way I feel,” she begged, unable to help turning to see him before she ducked into her room, and closed the door sharply behind her.

                He moved after her, but stood in the hallway, hearing the scrape against the door as she dropped to her butt on the other side. What was wrong with her? She couldn’t keep her head straight – she really, really liked Loki, just like she had really liked every other guy in her life, and the friends she thought she had always ruined it. Always. Mia felt stupid, thinking that this might different. After all, she had Loki to herself most of the time, they got to know each other better than he got to know the others, and she had thought, she had hoped, that it would be enough for him to like her the way she liked him.

                How ridiculous a thought that was. How could someone like Loki, a god from another world, find anything interesting about her? She was so plain, and so confusing, and just so lost. She couldn’t picture anyone wanting her anymore.

                The soft cry passed her lips as she buried her face in her arms, her arms holding her knees to her chest. She didn’t mean to make a sound, considering she just wanted to be alone, but Loki heard her, and closed his eyes, lowering his body to the floor on the hall-side of her door. He couldn’t believe he said he didn’t consider how she felt. It was like he had become Odin, even if only for a moment, and even if only slightly. Loki adored Mia – she gave him a place to stay, and was good to him even when he was an ass – but he just wasn’t used to things being so  _complicated_  with the opposite sex.

                Things were easier on Asgard. He was a Prince, he was important – he only had to point and the lady would be his. But not on Midgard. And not with Mia. She was damaged. Something was different. He couldn’t just say “I’ll take that one” with her – he had to be careful. The last thing he wanted was for her to despise him, and in one fell swoop, he did exactly that. She couldn’t even look at him.

                But that didn’t stop him.

                Shifting so he could see the door, Loki slid his hand across the floor, and dipped his fingers  beneath the door, prodding until he pushed something soft, and heard her cry out.

“Loki, stop!” she exclaimed, thumping against the floor as she moved. He smirked, and stretched out on the floor, sliding his hand a little further and clamping it onto her foot. Her reaction was to squeal, and jerk out her foot, before pulling back.

                A laugh.

                That was what he wanted.

                It was a soft laugh, and probably only reactionary, but it was enough for him to withdraw his hand.

“Mia?”

“…no.”

                Well, that didn’t last. Smirking, he thrust his hand back beneath the door, holding back a laugh as she squealed again.

“Stop!”

“Not until you talk to me!”

“No!” she hollered, leaping to her feet as he unlocked the door, and let himself in. Mia had scrambled to the other side of the bed, her arms clasped across her chest.

“Miiiiiaaaa,” he hissed, a smirk on his lips, as she took a step away from him.

“Loki, I’m really not in the mood,” she whimpered, hiding the smile on her mouth.

“I’m not leaving until you smile.”

“You’ll be here a while.”

“I can deal with that.” He lunged, making her cry out and leap onto the bed to race towards the door.

                Why did she think she could get away?

                He gave chase, following her into the hallway, before reappearing directly in front of her, and catching her in his arms.

“Loki! No fair!”

“I’m the God of Mischief, I have no need to be fair!” he laughed, a grin pulling his lips apart and revealing his perfect, white teeth.

“Please let me go, Loki,” she begged, wriggling in his arms. Her laugh was gone, and he looked down, frowning. “Please?”

“Mia…”

“I just need to be alone…please let me.” Mia sounded so pathetic, despite her tries at catching her breath, and he couldn’t tell her no. Instead, he gave her a light squeeze, and dropped his arms, watching her nod a thank you, clasp her hands around her neck, and make her way back into the bedroom. Alone.


	7. Chapter 7

                It was a hard few days, being in the same house, the same space, as each other. Mia was so desperate to be alone, but she was also so afraid that, if she didn’t come out of her room, he would find someone else to be with, someone else to live with. She hated how afraid she was, how terrified she was of losing Loki. It wasn’t as if they were best friends, or lovers. They were, by all definitions, merely roommates.

                As the weekend came around again, Mia became aware of the recurring texts on her phone, inviting her and Loki (or, Loki and you, as was written in the texts) to come swimming Friday night. The weather would be nice, the pool would be ready – it would be perfect.

                But she couldn’t bring herself to look at Leigh, or the others. She was barely ready to look at Loki, but she did – ignoring him wasn’t helping her. Instead, as Friday grew nearer, and Loki saw a few of the texts for himself as they came in while she was away from her phone, he started expecting them to go out. Like before.

“Mia?”

“Hm?”

“We going swimming?” The dishes clattered from the kitchen, and she reluctantly poked her head out.

“What?”

“Tristan invited us swimming –are we going?”

                Mia saw the look in his eyes, that he wanted to swim, but she lowered hers to the floor, and shrugged.

“Do…you want to go swimming? With them?”

“Might lift your spirits some.” That was doubtful, and they both knew it, but she had such a hard time saying no to him that, with a nod of her head, she moved down the hall.

“Come on,” she called, motioning for him to follow.

                It wasn’t too long before they were both ready, him in a pair of swimming trunks and a tank top, her in shorts and a t-shirt, and they climbed into the car, her fingers drumming on the wheel as she started it up. She was not looking forward to seeing them, to seeing Leigh, with her smug look of satisfaction.

                Loki watched her quietly from the passenger seat, shifting every so often to readjust the trunks. After a few minutes, as she pulled up to a stop sign, he turned to look out the window, and smirked very slightly.

“Is it…okay…to swim in the lake?” he pondered, raising a brow as she turned to see him.

“…yes…why?”

“Why don’t we go out there?”

“…you don’t want to swim with the others?”

“Not if you don’t…but I’ll swim with you.”

                Mia silently thanked whatever was out there that she was stopped – if she had been in motion with that car, they’d have gone off the side of the road. Instead, she held her breath for a moment, and peered at him sideways, waiting to see him look at her, or say something. But he didn’t. And after a minute, she slowly nodded, pressing on the gas as they turned, and headed towards the lake rather than Tristan’s.

                The water was so clear, reflecting the sky and the stars, and shimmering in the moonlight. It made her smile as she shut the car off, dropped the keys to the floor, and climbed out. Loki, smirking, climbed out, as well, and helped her bring the blanket and towels out to the beach. She wasn’t in any rush to get into the water, so instead, she laid the blanket out, and stretched out on it, looking up at the sky.

“Loki?”

“Hm?”

“Do you like it here? On Earth?” He paused, dropping the towels to the sand, before turning his head, and shrugged.

“More than I thought I would, I think…but I do miss Asgard,” he freely admitted, moving to lie beside her. Lifting her head to see him, she blushed as he lay beside her, his hands moving beneath his head.

“What is Asgard like?” Mia remembered him saying it was glorious, but she was curious how he defined it.

“…” Loki opened his mouth, but closed it again, hesitantly trying to pick out the right words. “…it’s beautiful…and safe…and strong. It glimmers in the sunlight, and shimmers in the moonlight. The warriors are well-deserving of the title…and everyone is loved…” He spoke slowly as those last few words slipped from his lips. It wasn’t until now, as he lay on the beach, that he realized it was true. They may have lied to him about who he was, but they did care for him, they did love him. He had been far too blind to notice, and now, he was here, on Earth. Stuck.

“Must be nice,” she breathed, closing her eyes for a moment as she considered the thought. Peering over in the moonlight, Loki smiled at her peaceful expression, and moved noiselessly to face her.

“You would love Asgard. You would be right at home.” He took a breath before his next words, leaning in until she could feel his breath on her skin. “You would make it the most perfect place.”

“Loki,” she said quickly, opening her eyes and turning to see him.

“You would, Mia. I know I’ve been…stupid…and foolish…and everything else you mumble when you don’t think I’m listening.” She blushed, and shook her head, leveraging her hands on the ground to push herself into a seated position. “But you have a good heart, and you’d fit in so well in Asgard – you’d be like the missing puzzle piece.”

“Can we swim now?” Mia asked, climbing to her feet.

Why did she have to become so awkward and uncomfortable when he was finally telling her something she wanted to hear? Silently, she cursed herself, but tugged off her shirt, letting her shorts fall to the ground, leaving her standing in her two-piece. Loki stared, non-blinking, for at least thirty seconds before she made her way into the water, prompting him to follow in suit, stripping off his shirt and shoes as he raced in after her.

“I’m coming to get you!”

“Loki!” she squealed, laughing as he caught her a few feet in.

“Got you!” he hollered, grinning as she laughed.

“No fair! You’re stronger than I am! And taller!”

“And a god,” he teasingly reminded her, making her playfully elbow him as she fell into the water.

 


	8. Chapter 8

                It was so late, the moon was barely peeking out from behind the trees, and the lake was turning black in the darkness. Neither noticed, not for a while, as they splashed, swam, and tackled each other in the cold water. But Mia did notice when the shimmer of starlight in the water faded. Tossing her head back, she saw the clouds sweeping over the sky, and motioned.

“Time to go, Loki,” she called over, as he poked up out of the water.

“Damn.”

                They scooted to the car, gathering the blanket and towels as they went, pulling the doors shut as the rain began to fall.

“Thank you.” He glanced over, eyebrow raised, as he rubbed the towel across his bare chest.

“For?”

“This…making me come out…suggesting the lake instead…” she replied, rubbing her towel through her hair to catch the excess water.

“Oh. Anytime, darling.” What? Her eyes shot over to him, and she found he was looking at her with a soft smile, a gentle smile, curled on his lips.

“What?”

“You heard me.” Blushing, she cleared her throat, and dropped the towel to her lap, moving her attention to getting away from lake before the rain became too much. Loki smirked, but let her start the car, and drive them back to the house. He could wait.

                Not for long, though.

                Mia nudged the door open, the towel around her body, as she peered back at Loki slipping in behind her.

“I’m going to go take a shower,” she told him, biting her lip as she ducked down the hall. She was almost in the bathroom, almost safe behind the door, when his hand caught her elbow. A small whimper left her throat, making her face redden, as he turned her towards him.

“Are you still mad?”

“No…” She meant that – with her ‘friends’, she still held a grudge for everything, even if she said she didn’t. But looking up at Loki, she knew he wasn’t angry. She couldn’t be – he was being so nice, and so sweet.

“Good. But in case you change your mind…” he said, eyeing her for a moment before he lowered his head, and pressed a light, sweet kiss to her lips. Her whole body tensed up instantly, but as his fingers brushed her neck, she relaxed, and nearly melted to the floor. It was hard for her to let go when he pulled back, and smirked. “…I’m going to lie down. I’ll see you in the morning,” he said, turning and disappearing into his room.

                Mia stood, breathless and speechless, in the hall, her fingers barely holding the towel around her body. What was that? Did he just…had he…what was that? She was at a complete loss, and, standing there, she couldn’t even remember what she had intended to do just prior. Baffled, she shifted her stance, and took a sharp breath, taking a step to the bathroom.  _Such a coward_ , came the voice in her head, making her stop short, and close her eyes.

“No…no no…” she grumbled, before turning, and following him down the hall. “Loki?” she asked, knocking and nudging his door open.

A hand shot out of the dark, pulling her in and pinning her to the door. Her outcry was muffled by his mouth as he crushed his lips to hers. This time, she threw her arms around his shoulders, and pulled him close. He started it  - she wasn’t about to let go. He was, however, and after a moment, and the feel of his tongue on her lip, he stepped back, keeping her pinned to the door with one hand.

“Loki, what are you doing?” she gasped, chest heaving as he moved his hand to let her free.

“Making sure…you don’t regret this tomorrow,” he said carefully, and she breathed out as he wrapped his hand around hers. “Come on…stay with me this time,” his voice whispered, as he pulled her across the floor to his bed. Neither cared that she was still in her two-piece, as they climbed onto his bed and he pulled her against him, one arm around her shoulders, the other still holding her hand.

“I doubt I would.”

“Just to be safe,” he murmured, brushing a kiss over her lips. She moaned into it, sliding her foot against his leg, and he smiled, nudging her nose. “If you’re still comfortable when we wake up…we’ll make it real then.”

                She could have melted into the bed right then, the way his eyes hit her in the room lit only by quick flashes of lightning. He was gorgeous, and he was patient, and he was warm, as he held her body against his.

“Sleep, darling.”

                As much as she would have preferred to stay awake, her eyes were heavy, with sleep and lust, and she chose the former, certain he wouldn’t cave to the latter willingly. As her eyes closed, and the darkness took her, she felt his lips on her forehead as his finger tenderly brushed her cheek, making a smile appear on her lips that he had not yet seen.

                There was no way it had been more than a couple of hours when Mia woke. It was still dark, and the rain was still pouring, but the lightning and thunder were gone. Shifting, she looked around the dark room, well aware she was alone. Despite the instant concern that hit her, she knew he hadn’t just  _left_  her – after all…he made the first move. It had to count for something.

                Rubbing her hand against her eyes, Mia climbed to her feet, and tugged the sheet around her body, fully aware she wasn’t wearing anything but her two-piece. She stifled a yawn, and moved down the hall towards her room, just to find a pair of sweats to wear for the rest of the night.

“It is really more wonderful than I could have imagined.” She stopped, frowning, and turned at the sound of Loki’s voice.

“I knew if you gave it a chance, brother, you would feel that way.”  _Brother?_  Quietly, Mia got a better grip on the sheet, and started down the hall, listening but not interrupting.

“You were right.”

“And how is this…woman you are staying with?”

“Her name is Mia. And she…certainly is something special.” A laugh sounded, and she stopped just outside the kitchen, listening.

“Is that so?”

“Very much. She is incredible – I tried to kill her, and she still took me in. Who does that?” the pair laughed, and she peeked into the kitchen, blushing profusely.

“I would. Because you looked like you needed someone…” Both men turned at the sound of her voice, and she sheepishly smiled.

“Mia! Did we wake you?”

“No…not really…I just got cold…” she answered, her eyes flickering over to the well-built blond by Loki.

“Well, come here…I want you to meet my brother, Thor. Thor…this…,” he began, slipping his hand around her waist and guiding her body against his as she moved closer, “is my Mia.”

                 _My Mia._

                It took much of her power not to let her knees give out as she smiled, and nodded a hello to Thor.


	9. Chapter 9

                The smell of coffee wafted throughout the house, as Mia came out of the bedroom in sweats and a t-shirt. Loki sat at the table, Thor seated across from him, and she felt intrusive, sitting in on their reunion. But Loki insisted. And with a smile on her lips, she pushed herself onto the counter, holding a half cup of coffee in her hands.

“How is father?” It was a question that had silently sat on the table for most of the conversation, until, reluctantly, the words flopped off Loki’s tongue. Thor raised his head, and sighed, shrugging.

“Better…we miss you at home, Loki,” Thor finally told him, and instantly, Mia felt out of place, shifting until her feet touched the cool tile floor. “We want you to come home with me.”

“Thor, I don’t belong there,” he sighed, shaking his head.

“Yes you do. We miss you. Mother and Father, Sif and the Warriors Three, even…and it’s not the same, not having my brother around.” Quietly, Mia put her cup on the counter, and started out of the room. It wasn’t her place to be in the kitchen, listening to Thor carefully insisting on his brother’s return, or to listen to whether or not Loki agreed. But she could hear his uncertainty when he sighed, just as she made her way to her room.

“After everything I did…what’s to stop me from being viewed as a threat?” It was the last thing she heard either of them say as she closed the door, as quietly as possible

                After a few minutes of near silence, as Mia settled into her bed with a book in her hands, she heard her name from the hall, and raised her head.

“…I’m in here.”

“Why’d you leave?” Loki asked, pushing the door open to let the hall light in. Shrugging, she closed the book, keeping her page with her thumb.

“You two needed to talk – not my place to sit in.”

“Mia…” he started, certain she had grown upset when Thor asked him to come home. A small smile curled on her lips, and she shook her head, sitting up straight.

“I’m fine, Loki…I didn’t want you to feel you had to answer a certain way because I was there. If you want to go back, you go back. Really. …I’ll miss you…but I’d rather you be happy.” Groaning softly, Loki closed his eyes, and shook his head. She could be so infuriating, even without trying – it was only that night that she had gotten over being upset with him about Leigh, and now he was being told he could return to Asgard?

                Frowning, she put her book on the night table, and pushed her blanket to make a seat for him.

“I mean it. I’m not…trying to be difficult.”

“And yet you are.” Her eyes moved to her hands as he crossed the floor and sat beside her in the space she’d made. “I was sure you would have lost your mind if I said I was going back.”

“Yesterday, I would have.  But…I don’t know…something about that kiss,” she began, her face going red as she thought about it. “…I feel better, now, than I have in a very long time…and if you want to go home, Loki, then I won’t stop you,” she admitted, reaching out, and patting her hand on his arm.

“I told you.” The pair turned to see Thor, standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.

“What?” Mia asked, brow raised in uncertainty.

“He said he wasn’t going to come home because you would be upset…I said you would want him happy. I. Was. Ri-ooomph!” he grunted, as Loki moved swiftly off the bed, and knocked Thor to the floor.

“Hey! Careful! I can’t afford a hole in the wall,” she hollered, hopping off the bed as the brothers picked themselves up off the floor.

“Sorry,” Loki said first, glancing at her. She was a deep crimson as he stepped back into the room, and Thor brushed off his pants, before they all looked at each other.

“I am going to leave the choice up to you, Loki. You can stay here, and miss Asgard and your family. Or you can go back to Asgard…”

“And miss you.”

“You won’t for long. I’m just…a moment in your memory. There really isn’t anything remarkable about me to keep me where you’ll miss me. But you choose. I’m tired…I’m going to lay down. Thor…you’re welcome to stay until he decides,” she invited, smiling at the two before she nudged Loki into the hall and closed the door.

                The sunlight poured into her room, a drastic contrast to the heavy clouds and rainfall from a few hours before. Sighing, and stifling a yawn, Mia rolled on her bed, burying her face in her pillow as she rolled away from the light. For a minute, she forgot about the night before, about Thor and the choice Loki was told to make. Mia was moving towards the door, her hand on the knob, when she paused, and held her breath.

                Had he gone?

                Pursing her lips, and gripping the handle, she carefully moved into the hallway, poking her head into his empty room. Frowning, she turned, and slipped towards the kitchen, not fully sure what to expect. She wasn’t sure if she was surprised, honestly, when she saw Loki beside the sink, flipping off the faucet as he set his empty coffee cup down.

“…did you choose?” Loki tensed, and didn’t move, as her words found his ear, making her heart skip a beat in nervousness. He must have decided to go – she could hear rustling in the living room, a soft grunt, as Thor shifted on the couch – and hadn’t decided how to tell her yet.

“Yes…” Shakily, she took a breath, before nodding, and walking up behind him, laying her head on his shoulder.

“…and?” After all this, she didn’t want to sound stupid by supporting one choice when he chose the other. Tilting his head at her touch, his face softened, and he reached up, patting the top of her head.

“We’re going.”

“I’m going to miss you.” A soft chuckle passed his lips, and he turned, shaking his head.

“No you won’t.”

“How could I not? You are, quite honestly, the best thing that’s happened in my life. I feel good about myself again, because you…were so straight forward. You were angry, you tried to kill me. You felt bad, you hugged me. Come on, even my ‘friends’ don’t do that, so yes, I’m going to miss you.” Mia was puzzled as he started laughing, and her face went red as she frowned.

“No, no, don’t frown. I’m not laughing at you,” he said, cupping her cheek with one hand as the other touched her hip. “You won’t miss me, because I want you to come with me.” Her eyes went wide, and she blinked at him blankly.

“…what?”

“You heard me. Come with me. Please.”

                The God of Mischief, half dressed in her kitchen, just said  _please_.

                Swallowing hard, she looked him in the eye, furrowing her brow as they stared at each other, him with a hopeful smile, her with an uncertain half-smile.

“…Loki…I can’t go with you.”


	10. Chapter 10

                It took a moment before the words registered, and Loki frowned, knitting his eyebrows together.

“What? Why?”

“I can’t just leave…I have my entire life here…my  _mother_  is here,” Mia sighed sadly, shaking her head.

“…then I’ll stay here with you,” he decided, shrugging as if it were nothing.

“No you can’t…I mean, you can, and you’re welcome to. But that’s not what you want, I can tell by looking at you. It’s okay…you should…go home…” The words viciously burned on her tongue as she heard Thor stirring the other room, and she pursed her lips, finally meeting his eyes.

“If you don’t want me here, say so.”

“Loki…”

“I mean it. I don’t like this…this confusion you have. You won’t go with me, but you won’t let me stay.”

“I’ll let you stay if you won’t regret it! I don’t want you to decide, after Thor goes back, that you would rather be there than here. And in case you haven’t noticed, it happens – people don’t want to be here, with me.”

“Stop that! Why are you so certain that no one wants you be around you?” he exclaimed, narrowing his eyes.

“Because they don’t! Tristan, Carter, Leigh, Sarah, they  _hate_  me! I’m nothing but a fifth wheel, and I know it – I’ve known it for years, but I was too afraid to accept it, and they weren’t up for lectures by telling me I wasn’t welcome. Our parents were friends, and upon my dad’s death, they helped me pick up the pieces. They feel…responsible for me, but they don’t want me around. I am a burden, and I have been for a long time…” she admitted, finally, biting down upon her bottom lip. “…mom is all I’ve really had…for years…and she’s slipping away from me. She needs me now, more than anything, but she can’t even remember who I am…that is why…I have to stay. That is why I can’t leave. I may not be worth remembering, or worth other peoples’ time, but damnit…If I walk away, I’m admitting defeat, and that is not how this works,” she gasped out softly, shaking her head as she turned away from him.

                It was not what he was expecting, and he stared at her, completely baffled. It wasn’t just a “oh, they left me, they must hate me” fleeting feeling. It was a real, deep seeded ache. It was the damage he saw in her when he first got comfortable with her. Sighing, he reached out for her arm, frowning more as she pulled from him.

“Go back to Asgard…I will miss you…but you will be happier there than you will be here.” With that, she glanced at the sleepy Thor standing in the doorway, and made her way back to her bedroom, locking the door behind her.

                Neither of them could face the other. Mia didn’t even notice that there wasn’t any sound coming from outside her door. But after a while, when Loki didn’t come after her, Mia made her way towards the kitchen, peering around in uncertainty.

“Loki?” she called, stopping at the sight of the paper on the table. Gulping, she stepped towards it, and felt her heart sink as she lowered her body to the chair.

                 _Mia,_

_You told me to go. You said I’d be happier on Asgard._

_I’m holding you to that._

_I’m going back with Thor – I’m going to try being part of my own family again._

_But I’m going to come back. I’ll be coming back for you. And if I find out I’m not happier there than I was here, with you, for such a short amount of time…you are coming back with me._

_I’m more than happy to wait until you feel comfortable leaving – no matter how long that takes._


	11. Chapter 11

                Things were sure to change after Loki left. But Mia hadn’t fully anticipated being so sharp with the changes, so quick with them. She just wanted to change the way she lived, because she didn’t want him to leave when…if…he came back.

                But six years.

                Six years was a long time, and Mia had been so determined to change things around that she wasn’t surprised with the changes anymore.

                Loki was. At least, a little.

                He stood on the walk in front of the house, staring up at it as he decided on whether or not he should knock, or just walk in. He had noticed the  _FOR SALE_  sign in the yard, blowing in the breeze, and it made him frown, and become concerned – was Mia even still there?

                Shifting, and brushing his hands over the front of his button-up shirt and jeans, Loki took a breath, and hopped up the steps, rapping his knuckles on the hard wooden door. There was a moment of silence, prompting him to knock again, and smiling as the thuds sounded from inside.

“Sorry! One second!” He would have known that voice anywhere, and it brought a chuckle to his lips as one last thump, followed by a swear, preceded the door creaking open. “Sorry, I keep forgetting where my boxes a-…Loki?”

                Her hair was longer now, and tied behind her head in a ponytail save for a few strands that dangled and framed her face. Her eyes were clearer, and he couldn’t see her damage as he used to be able to. Right now, though, all he saw was genuine surprise at the sight of him.

“Mia,” he replied, bowing his head a little, smirking.

“Oh my god…you came back,” she breathed, as he chuckled, and reached his hand for hers.

“Of course I did. I said I would…”

“Yes…but I guess…you know, I don’t even care, come i-…let’s sit out here,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at the mess behind her. He snickered, and lowered his body onto the top step, watching her sit beside him.

“You look great,” he said, hiding a laugh as her hands slipped and she flopped onto the porch.

“Oh! Um…thank you. You look good, yourself,” she admitted, raising her eyes to see him.

                It had been six years since they had seen each other, but seated beside each other now, all Mia could think of was how she behaved before he left. She still felt stupid for walking out of the room, even though she had come to terms with the fact that he left without saying goodbye. Shifting, Mia peered over, and blushed softly.

“Are you happy on Asgard?”

“…yes.” Not what she thought he’d say. She frowned, and looked towards the road, nodding.

“Good.”

“Happier, at least, than I was when I…left. Being here…on earth…with you…made me better,” he admitted, making her blush profusely as she shifted.

“Really?”

“Absolutely.” Smiling, Mia wrapped her arms around her knees, and pulled her legs up towards her chest.

“You being here made me better too…Um…mom passed…two years ago. And…six  _days_ after you left, I told off Tristan, Carter, Sarah, and Leigh…haven’t seen them since. Have no interest in seeing them.”

“I see that…you are moving?”

“Had planned on it…not sure it’s going to happen.”

“Why?”

“No one wants this house…” she shrugged. His eyes darted over to her frame, as she curled into herself some, and hid the smirk trying to form on his lips.

“There is one thing missing…from my return to Asgard.”

“Hm?”

                His fingers found hers, and he helped her to her feet before nudging open the front door, and leading her inside the house. Despite the furrow of her brow, the confusion in her eyes, Mia followed him, pushing the door closed as he pulled her around the slew of boxes and junk that littered the halls, the floors.

“You have…a lot of stuff.”

“Part of the problem with trying to move…maybe I’ll give it all away, where are we going?”

“I told you…if you were comfortable when we woke up…we’d make it real. And…it never did happen…” Her eyes widened as he pushed her bedroom door open, tugged her into the room, and closed it behind her.

“Loki?”

“Do you still think you won’t regret this?” Oh, she knew what was going to happen, and as he turned to face her, his eyes dark with lust, she instinctively purred, and blushed.

“I’m positive I won’t,” she admitted, grunting as he backed her against the wall, and laid his lips upon hers.

“If you change your mind…just say so…” he whispered, and pulled her body against his, a smirk on their lips as their eyes met, seconds before he pressed another, much more passionate, kiss to her lips, causing her head to spin, and her heart to race.

                It was about damn time.


End file.
